Mosquito prevention tips from Pinellas County
In light of an ongoing investigation relating to a non-travel related case of Zika virus, Pinellas County Mosquito Control and the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas are reminding residents of important prevention tips as they continue joint efforts against mosquito-borne illnesses.
Pinellas County Mosquito Control is continuing to employ an aggressive operational and educational approach in our fight against mosquito-borne illnesses such as Zika. The crews are continuing to respond to citizen requests and treat known mosquito breeding areas in the county.
Prior to the storm, please inspect your yards and remove any containers that may hold water. After the storm, once it is safe to do so, please empty containers of any standing water in your backyards. These actions will help prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your yards.
Additional steps you can take include:
- Flush birdbaths and wading pools weekly.
- Flush ornamental bromeliads or treat with BTI, a biological larvicide available at home stores.
- Clean roof gutters, which can become clogged and hold water.
- Change the water in outdoor pet dishes regularly.
- Keep pools and spas chlorinated and filtered.
- Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating fish.
- Cover rain barrels with screening.
- Check for standing water under houses, near plumbing drains, under air conditioner drip areas, and around septic tanks and heat pumps.
- Eliminate standing water, improve drainage and prevent future puddling.
Mosquito bites can irritate skin and potentially spread disease. Residents are urged to protect their skin from mosquito bites when outdoors by wearing mosquito repellent (products containing DEET, IR3535, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus) and loose-fitting clothing with long sleeves and pants. These simple preventive measures can help reduce the number of mosquitoes in Pinellas County and minimize mosquito-borne diseases.
